GB21 by glambone

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

GB Holiday/Anniversary (London, Michael Lockwood, The Young Offenders)

Put on your party hats and extra mascara for this one, it’s the one year anniversary of Glambone!  Turn on your “Radio Stars” for an early version late 70’s style from London.  We uncover another gem in the Sixx era Lizzie Grey saga.  Back in the days when Nikki was wearing his best Steven Tyler ensemble, which he’d later ressurect and improve upon for the Theatre Of Pain album, meanwhile Lizzie would take this very song and Crue-cify it for London’s “Non Stop Rock” LP.
While the quality of the tape preservation on this copy isn’t so hot, the song itself is classic L.A. glam, so naturally Glambone shares it with you to savor it all in spandex glory.

Michael Lockwood, a man with a collection of great guitars and equally great hats, kicked around the L.A. scene for a handful of years after the demise of Lions & Ghosts.  In the time before landing a spot playing with Aimee Mann, Michael recorded tracks for his own project by the name of The Light Bachwood Movement.  Wearing his influences on his sleeve, the podcast shines light on his song “Skin.”

We turn the attention over to 2 douchebands for our now infamous segment.  Both hailing from Los Angeles.  Give an ice cold welcome to Legs Up, and Lickity Split.

1987 saw lots of cool bands rival L.A. on the east coast.  Pharoah obviously heading the pack, but also from NJ was a five piece called Mystery City.  Not much is known about them, other than the 2 song demo they left behind.  Great sleazy vocals, double guitar attack with the right amount of phaser, and catchy melodies... the band had a sound that separated itself from everyone else.  But like their name evokes, they truly are a mystery.



When the film Velvet Goldmine came out, it was no small wonder that baby bands that studied their T-Rex and “Here Come The Warm Jets” record would soon sprout like roses in summertime.  Not all them smelled so pretty in 1998, some were gawd awful putrid.  But from the UK, one managed to ride the wave of Brian Slade just for a second. That band was The Young Offenders.  Mercury signed ‘em to a singles deal, and “Pink and Blue” was released just in time, before Christian Bale would get his next script for yet another rock n roll motion picture, Laurel Canyon.  The Young Offenders pouted it up doing their best Marc Bolan these shores have seen in a long time.

Speaking of 70’s glitter... one band just couldn’t help themselves and decided to take Bowie’s red headed gender bending alter ego, dropping
the Stardust and keeping the Ziggy.  From the land of Rock N Roll Crazy Nights, Ziggy was born.  Japan had their very own Michael Monroe clone in the form of its frontman Juichi Morishige (pictured right).  From the 1988 release “Hot Lips” we take a listen to “Born To Be Free.”

San Franciso had a healthy glam scene in the mid 80’s.  On the list of bands contributing to that cause was Nag Nag Nag (pictured above).  Full of raw power and hairspray, as proof on “Wish It Was,” these guys came to rock.

The podcast closes with L.A.’s Tommi Gunn.  A band that had a real good thing going for them, that of course until they sabotaged themselves by going public in music city rags annoucing they signed
a demo deal to MCA.  Complete with photographs of the band holding their contract with a shit grinning look on their face.  Who does that sort of thing?  A&R man Bret Hartman did an about face and signed Pretty Boy Floyd instead, most likely out of spite.  In the end, anyone associated with MCA is in the dumpster these days anyway, so who the fuck cares.  Tommi Gunn would later find another whammy when drummer Anthony Focx miraculously re-invented himself as (gasp) a guitar player and surfaced in the band Beautiful Creatures.  But back to 1987, the featured track “Just Wait And See,” a glammy “Just Got Lucky” anthem Dokken style if ever there was one.  Note, this was before the cursed MCA demo recordings.


Blow on this bone!

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